Angel of Darkness
by WolfmoonWarrior28
Summary: Back at the Institute, experiments are continued on a pair of siblings kidnapped from their home years ago. The youngest, 13-year-old Krystal, is harassed constantly, and her older brother decides that enough is enough. Rated T cuz I'm paranoid and violence.
1. Chapter 1

A needle jabbed straight into my arm, the bright green liquid emptying from the syringe and into my veins. Ew. The whitecoat standing above removed the needle, not bothering to be gentle, which caused me to wince.

"Aww, did I hurt the little dove? I'm sorry, I'll try to be nicer next time," the whitecoat snickered.

His long dark hair swept down into his ugly face. I hate that face. I glared at him my best death glare, clenching my fists so hard it hurt. My glare didn't seem to be working much today since the stupid man just turned and scribbled some notes down. Idiot. The female whitecoat on my other side shook her head and started to sterilize the syringe used on me. I felt sorry for whoever would be on this table next. Boredom was setting in. Great. I tugged on the restraints holding my limbs down to the operating table. Stupid white-coated freaks. Why don't they seem to have any human decency? I sighed out loud, hoping to get the dude to talk. Anything to get rid of my boredom. But he didn't even twitch. Hmm. After a few moments, I let out a gusty sigh, groaning a little for effect. Nothing. I closed my eyes, the brightness of the lights above piercing through my eyelids. I wish Zero were here with me. He's my big brother and my best friend. Ever since we got here (get ready for the clichés), we've been closer than two catfish in a skillet, thicker than thieves, two birds of a feather, completely inseparable...well, until the science freaks seperated us for testing. He's only about 3 or 4 years older than me, but he acts like he's 5. Makes it interesting, though.

Years ago, when I was 8 and Zero was almost 12, our parents had loved us. Our family was small and kinda poor, but we managed to keep our modest house and few belongings. Then, one night, they decided to go out for their anniversary to a nice restaurant. They'd been saving up for ages, and it happened to be their 45th, so it was a big deal. A taxi even picked them up. They always walked to where they needed in our small town, but they wanted to do something different.

As soon as they left, however, my brother and I were paid a visit by your friendly neighborhood scientists. All I can remember of that night was a white coat, a white cloth, and a headache that hurt like the dickens. When I woke up, we were in cages on a cold hard floor with nothing but a hospital gown they dressed us in. I remember thinking, Did those perverts undress me while I was asleep? Looking back, I laugh at how naive I was about these creeps. They did much worse than just dress us up while we were unconscious. And, nearly 4 years later, they're still experimenting. My parents must be worried sick, or think we're dead. The kidnappers haven't called for any kind of ransom, not that they could've paid it, so they probably gave up all hope of getting us back. A warm tear rolled down my cheek. I miss them so much it hurts. Why did these freaks take us away? We're nothing special. And it could've been anyone here in this cold place of evil. Why us?

Suddenly, a sharp object came close to my eye, scraping my cheek. I could feel drops of blood well up from the scrape and seconds later, pain followed. I winced. The ugly whitecoat's head loomed above me, staring creepily at me while he held a scalpel to my face.

"What's the matter, little dove? I haven't even started on you and you're already crying," he smirked.

I wanted to pound his freakazoid face into the wall so hard, but there was the small problem of mobility. So I spat in his face instead. He recoiled, reddening in anger. I almost laughed at how stupid he looked when I hawked one at him. He backed against the counter full of equipment, wiping my spit off, and he turned so red with rage he looked like a tomato. I started to get nervous. He was never this mad. And that wild look in his black eyes scared me. I almost wish I didn't do that. That feeling amplified as he strode quickly over to the operating table, raised his hand and struck me across the face. He really hit hard. I cried out and cowered away from him, my cheek tingling where he slapped me. So now I had a big red mark and a cut on my face. Aren't I getting all the luck today?

Before he could hit me again, the female ran over and grabbed his wrist. "Alan! Stop! The subject must be intact for the research." The ugly one seemed to calm down a little when she spoke. Figures. She then added, "Don't break it."

'It?' Seriously? I am not a freakin' subject! I'm a human being, and a kid! But I stayed silent, not wanting another slap. My teeth started to hurt, and I realized I was clenching them hard. Whoops.

The dude took a deep breath. "Whatever. Let's just take the freak back to her cage."

Yay. At least he didn't call me 'it.' I laid back calmly while they unstrapped me from the table. When the restraints were gone, the stupid whitecoat grabbed my arm and yanked me to my feet. I stumbled, nearly falling, but he jerked me back up.

His rancid breath washed over me as he pulled me close, growling, "Don't try my patience, dove, or you'll get more than a red face from me." I nodded, not looking at him. "Good," he grunted.

The female grabbed the clipboard with what I assume are Ugly's notes and a couple of charts, and then began to saunter down the hall. Ugly followed, dragging me along while I tried to keep up as best as I could. We hurried past some mysterious doors marked with symbols, a couple of huge windows looking into testing rooms full of unfortunate experiments, and a lounge room. Hey, I guess even whitecoats need a break.

When we finally reached the big gym-sized room where my cage resided, Ugly shoved me to the floor. He shrugged as the female frowned at him and he muttered, "Oops." I scrambled to my feet before he could "help" me up, but he seized my wrist anyway, hauling me to the other side of the room.

We stopped in front of a huge curtain. I've no idea what's behind it, but it's always there. And it stinks. Gross. Kinda like sewer. And look! My cage is clean! Wasn't that nice of them. The whitecoats unlocked the crate and opened its door. Ugly Al then decided it would be hilarious if he shoved me inside unceremoniously. Big mistake, pal.

A deep voice growled from the next cage, slow and dangerous. "What do you think you're doing with my sister, freak?" He drew out 'freak' for emphasis. I love that guy.

The whitecoat took a startled step back. "Excuse me?" Ugly spluttered.

Zero lay against his cage bars in shadow, one leg drawn to his body and an arm thrown casually over it, his large pitch black and snow white wings extended threateningly. Oh yeah. We have wings. Forgot to mention that. He leaned forward so a shaft of light caught his raven-black hair. "Are you deaf? Don't. Touch. My. Sister." My brother peered up from purple bangs with enough poison to kill an army of whitecoats.

Ugly stumbled over a box, not taking his eyes off of Zero. He looked thoroughly confused. I chuckled quietly. That's my bro! The female lightly touched Alan's arm to get him going. At the human contact, he snapped out of his stupor. "L-let's go, Martha," he stammered. She guided him away from the cages, probably to the lounge room to slap some cold water in his ugly face.

"You ok, Krys?" Zero asked when they were gone. I looked over to his cage and nodded. Concern lit his silver eyes. He tried again. "What's up?"

Glaring at the direction the scientists left, I let another tear slip down. Unfortunately, it dripped over my cut. I gasped at the surprisingly painful sting. Zero hastily crawled over to the other side of his cage and reached out his arm. His hand barely reached the bars of my prison, so I scooted to his arm, extending mine until our hands joined in a familiar shape. My brother once came up with the idea of having a gesture to comfort each other, and I thought of a bird shape. Yeah, I know. Ironic. Our thumbs would unite in the middle as the bird's neck and head and our fingers spread out as the wings. I wiggled mine at him. He laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling me over. Uh oh. I know that move. "No!" I shouted, giggling uncontrollably as he tickled me.

Zero cackled, "I got one word! Let's see if I can get a whole sentence."

By now, I was gasping for breath, ragged wheezes escaping my mouth. "S-stop! I can't take it anymore!" I puffed. He let me go and I collapsed onto the cool floor in a panting heap.

He smirked down at me, inquiring, "Now was that so hard?"

"Yes. It was," I croaked. Shaking my head, I sat up against the cage bars, my back to Zero. My cheek was throbbing. Ouch. I sighed. Numbly, I could feel Zero scrape his cage towards mine and reach around me. Something cold now rested around my neck and just below my collarbone. I looked down. A beautiful silver chain necklace hung low, each link on the chain intricately woven. At the base of the necklace was a black onyx pendant with a drop of amber in the center set with a white 'K'. I inhaled sharply. "Zero...where did you get this?" I choked.

"Happy birthday, Krys," he whispered.

Holding the pendant, I started to sob. Great, now I'm emotional. "I love it!" I squealed, spinning around and trying to hug him through the bars.

He grinned. "Been hiding it from the Freaks. It's supposed to be for your 16th birthday, but I don't want you to wait any longer."

Tears started to spill down my face freely. Uuugh. What's wrong with me today? But Zero didn't seem to mind since he just stroked my short hair gently, murmuring how awesome he was. Again, I love this guy. Soon I had calmed down, though my gown was soaked through with warm salty emotions. I heard a grunt from him and something tickled my nose. A pitch black feather shot through with a light snowy white barred design. Zero waved it under my nose.

"Here, sis. To always remember me," he breathed. I took it and tucked it behind my ear.

"One of your own feathers? Thanks, Blake." I rarely used his real name, but it seemed appropriate for the moment. Y'know, since it's so tender and touchy-feely. Blech. I reached under my cage for a small leather pouch I hid from the whitecoats. "I'll keep them safe in here. The Freaks might 'confiscate' them, and I don't want that to happen," I air quoted.

Zero smiled, "Of course."

Opening the pouch, I carefully placed the pendant and the feather in and pulled the strings to cinch it shut. Then, making sure the hidden camera we all knew was there wasn't watching, I slid it into a hole I made a while ago under the cage, safe and sound. "There," I brushed my hands together and placed them on my hips.

Suddenly, the double doors on the other side of the room burst open and a couple of whitecoats strode importantly in. Not that they were important, but they sure acted like it. And oh look! Ugly was with them! And so was Miss Queen of Science. It's one big reunion. Behind the whitecoats lurked huge, furry, hulking creatures, eyes glowing with malice and hunger. Erasers. I growled silently. Erasers were other experiments created by the scientists, but only somewhat successful. They were part wolf, part human, and could change forms. Yeah, werewolves are real, just not what you expected. I've only seen them look completely human once. They mostly stay in their halfway forms: big hairy dudes with serious muscle and claws. I've never seen them turn into anthro wolves, though. Don't think I want to.

Zero tensed up when he saw them approach, eyes narrowing. I drew my legs up to my chest and rested my chin on my knees. What now? All of our tests should be done for the day. They never do more than a few per day. Weird. They advanced on us rapidly; the Erasers sniffed the air as they shuffled along, their long sharp teeth poking through their mouth slightly. They really creep me out.

Ugly swaggered up to my cage, a stupid grin on his face. "Hey, little dove. You look sad." He squatted down to my level and poked a finger into the cage. "I heard it was your birthday. Why didn't you tell me? Maybe I could've, I don't know, let you run around the yard for a while, stretch your legs?" Ugly suggested. One of the Erasers behind him sniggered. I glared at him from under my long indigo-tipped bangs. What a moron.

Zero snarled, "Leave her alone, freak."

"Oh, don't be that way," he said, standing up. His arms stretched out to his sides and he declared, "We're here to celebrate her birthday!" The wolf-man hybrids howled with laughter while the whitecoats sneered. I became nervous. What were they planning?

An Eraser with a scar on his eye stalked up, hands deep in his jean pockets. His bare chest rose and fell unevenly as he chuckled. Amusement lit his dark wolf like eyes when they fell on us. "Yeah, kids. We're gonna do somethin' special, just for you," the Eraser remarked, winking at me. I shivered under his gaze. Abruptly, he grabbed the bars of my cage and tilted it back. I slid back to the wall with a grunt.

"Hey! Leave her alone, dog breath!" Zero screeched, reaching through his cage. He strained to touch me and his silver eyes were turning darker every second the wolf boys lingered. Something was happening with him, something bad.

The Eraser leered down at me, saying, "Happy birthday, freak. How old are you now?" I glowered as menacingly as I could at him. He merely giggled as he replied, "That's ok, my whitecoat buddies can find out for me anyway." Crouching down, he smirked, "Didya know that I'm only 7?"

Surprise sparked in me and my eyes widened. Seriously? This werewolf on steroids was just a kid? Guess you learn something new every day.

Then, a sad look seemed to creep into the Erasers eyes. "I wasn't always part wolf. I used to be a real kid, with a dad." Anger took hold in his face and his feralness grew. "But he left me to the scientists for some stupid bird kids! He never paid attention to me, his own son!"

I gasped as he suddenly threw my cage aside. My arm got caught under the bars when it landed and I cried out in pain.

Zero shouted, "Krys! No!" And what happened next was a blur. The cage beside me burst apart, metal pieces flying everywhere. I heard shouts and screams of agony. There were so many, I wasn't sure who they were from. My arm burned so bad. I think it was broken. I couldn't move, and what I was hearing terrified me. Snarls ripped through the air, a few yelps following after.

What's going on? My breath caught in my throat. I called out weakly, "Z-Zero?"

A dark figure darted to my side. "Krys, I'm going to get you out, but you have to do exactly as I say. Can you do that?" He sounded hoarse and wild, but I nodded. The bars above me were all of a sudden gone and a hand stretched down to me.

"I can't, my arm..." I whimpered. "I think it's broken."

Zero slipped over, grasping the cage. "Get ready, sis. I'm going to right the cage. As soon as your arm's free, run. Run as fast as you can. Please don't worry about me."

With a groan, I was upright. I could see my arm was bent unnaturally and it burned. Tears pricked my eyes. When I could get up, I scrambled out of the cage and ran blindly. An Eraser, howling with pain as he held a bloody shoulder, made a move to grab me, but before he could he fell over. Dead. Zero stood over him, his fist bruised and slick with a dark liquid.

"Krys!" he shrieked. I had no time to dodge as a white-sleeved arm curved around my neck and pinned me to the owner's chest. I smelled his disgusting breath and instantly recognized Ugly Al, my old pal. His other hand grasped my broken arm, causing me to caterwaul. My arm was on fire now and hot tears spilled down my face. He constricted his arm around my throat. Black was starting to edge my vision, both with pain and lack of air.

Faintly, I heard my brother speak. "Let her go. She isn't involved."

"On the contrary, my boy, the little dove tried to flee her cage. It's dangerous out there for a tiny bird like her." A mad chuckle escaped him, like he made some hilarious joke.

Luckily, though, he eased the pressure on my windpipe. I took a deep, ragged breath, coughing hard into his arm.

My brother seemed like an angel of death with his muscular black wings extended and blood spattered on his face, fists and feathers. But defeat soon entered his eyes, somehow black as his hair and wings.

"Now, this is interesting. How did you even cause this mess, boy?" my captor asked, staring Zero up and down. "You've never shown any special... talents... of any kind before."

Zero flipped his long purple bangs to the side. "Dunno, freak. Just happened. I guess you guys aren't so good at what you do," he sneered.

Ugly sighed. I screamed as he roughly yanked on my broken arm. Sobs shook my body. The pain was almost too much. Darkness welled up and I could only see my brother's face and part of his arms and legs. Spots danced across my vision. I was barely aware of Zero calling my name, a pale hand ready to take mine.

A furry shadow loomed up behind him, clutching his arms and pinning them behind his back. I dimly noticed a scar on the anthro wolf's eye. Cackling rose up from the whitecoat holding me, but all I can think about is the pain. Why does a broken arm hurt so much? Well, when some creep messes with it, I guess that amplifies it. I took a breath, trying to calm down. The spots cleared, and I could see better. Good start. Glancing up I saw a scary, dark look on Zero. I've never seen him like that. He was quietly struggling against his captor, staring at me. I mouthed, "I'm okay now." Zero nodded.

Ugly took a step forward, pushing me up. "Ari, take him out back. Show him what happens to little birdies that stray too far from the cage," he chortled.

Oh no. "Blake!" I shouted, trying to break away.

"Krys!" he exclaimed. Ari let go of his arms for a split second and grasped his hair, jerking him towards the doors. I continued to struggle and shriek, Zero swearing more than I ever heard in my life at the wolf man dragging him away. Several sorry-looking Erasers limped after him, revenge lighting their eyes. "Shame to waste all that power," the freak muttered. "Too bad he couldn't be tamed." Moments later, a joyous howl swelled from the hall and I knew it was over. I dropped my head in grief. Zero... was gone. My legs collapsed beneath me, everything turning dark. Just like his wings...


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:**

Hey guys! This is my second upload ever, though I never thought I would continue this story. I liked it, and when I got a favorite and a watch on the same day it was uploaded, I thought, "Aw, what the hey." Please enjoy!

OHWAIT. So, on the first chapter, I totally forgot to add a disclaimer cuz I didn't know I couldn't edit it before uploading D: I'm really new to this. So...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride or any of it's characters. I do, however, own these creepy whitecoats, Krystal, and Zero.

Okay, now you can enjoy!

* * *

Beep.

I floated in a state of darkness, a weird fog clouding my senses.

Beep.

Nothing seemed to matter. Nothing could happen.

Beep.

I was safe.

Beep beep.

No. I wasn't.

Beep beep.

Something terrible happened. I know it.

Beep beep.

Something completely mind-numbing, something I wanted to forget.

Beep beep.

But I couldn't forget. Not ever.

Beep beep beep beep.

I needed to remember.

Beep beep beep beep.

Faintly, I heard a deep voice. "I think she's awake. Her heart rate is spiking." He sounded gruff.

Beep beep.

What had happened?

A high-pitched voice joined in. "Now it's calming down. Cut the dose of morphine in half. We need her fully conscious soon." I think it's a woman who spoke, but I'm not sure.

Beep.

Thoughts swam incoherently in my mind. I think according to the voices, I was totally high.

Awesome.

Beep.

What was that sound? It's starting to annoy me.

Beep.

I groaned quietly.

"Told you she was awake. What shall we do with her?" the gruff voice asked.

The female piped up. "We were strictly told to keep her under light sedation and report back to the Boss when she awoke," she recited crisply. Wow, what a nutcase.

Beep.

Ugh, cut it out already!

Beep beep.

I groggily made out the scratching of a pen on a clipboard. Must be recording my vitals or something. Eventually, the darkness cleared slightly and the overhead lights pierced through my eyelids.

Beep beep.

Sigh. Whatever.

Beep.

A low grunt of confusion sounded near me. "The subject's heart rate keeps changing constantly.

Curious." A scribble of notes.

That's it, I have to do something. I wiggled my toes, but I could barely feel them. Uh oh. Must be the drugs. I tried again, this time with my fingers. My left fingers twitched slightly, but my right remained numb. Oh, right. The broken arm thing. I listened to the annoying beep of my heart monitor.

Beep.

Not working. Something pricked the back of my mind. What was I forgetting? All I knew was it was absolutely vital that I remembered. Huh. But no matter how hard I tried, a thick cobweb curtain shrouded the memory, hiding it away from me.

A shadow flickered over my eyelids, and I felt a prick in my arm. Suddenly, I felt very tired. Once again my mind numbed and darkness enveloped my senses.

Beep.

* * *

A soft murmuring rose up from somewhere. It was kinda pleasant to listen to as I came back from my drug-induced sleep. I tried to pay attention.

One voice whispered excitedly, "Have you heard about this one, Less? The story behind it is, like, legendary!"

"Yeah! I heard the other one was like a freakin' angel of death or something. Took down five wolfboys in a minute without breakin' a sweat!" another voice, which sounded nasally and gross, raised with enthusiasm.

What were these science nerds blabbering about? But that feeling returned, where I had forgotten something important. The tale those guys were telling sounded familiar. I guess it's the drugs.

"I heard he even went back to save this one while she was trapped under a cage. And, like, freakin' ripped it apart to free her," he squealed. "Before anyone could react, he had taken down the army of hybrids and scientists, and rescued the subject!"

The two continued to giggle about the crazy situation, but it sounded like a distant buzz to me. Hybrids... ripping apart cages... then realization hit me.

Zero.

My eyes snapped open and I bolted upright with a screech. "BLAKE!" I started thrashing wildly, screaming for my brother. "NO!"

The scientists near me shouted with surprise. A tall, thin one with bad acne scurried over to my bed and tried to hold my arm down. The other, wide-eyed and squat, followed suit. "Security!" the short one yelled out.

My flailing arms struck something, probably a whitecoat, but I didn't care. I couldn't care. I could barely feel my broken arm, though I hardly noticed. It seemed to have a mind of its own as it whipped around violently, but the whitecoats finally grasped my wrists and pinned them down. I started to convulse. My mind was clouding.

All I could see was his face, his arm stretched out and holding a beautiful feather by the shaft. His feather. Pitch black shot through with snowy white.

My eyes rolled back in my head. I was dimly aware of shouts in the background, shoving, and a tingling sensation in my veins.

His intense silver eyes gently fixed on me with love and protection. Delight lit his pale face, an impish grin plastered on crookedly. Violet hair in his eyes, connected to shaggy raven-black on his head.

My eyes fluttered shut, the seizures subsiding. A pricking at the inside of my elbow.

My brother, dead.

I fell unconscious. Every thought, every sense, slipped from my grasp. I couldn't feel anything. Nothing. It felt like that for days, maybe even weeks. I don't know. Can't tell from my situation. A pretty white mist flowed through my vision, cold yet inviting. I wanted to be forever blanketed by this beautiful veil.

Beep.

No. I can't.

Beep.

No. I won't.

Beep.

I need to live.

Beep beep.

I need to avenge the Angel of Darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:**  
Hey guys! So, as I was browsing the FFN, I decided to reread my story and I noticed that it says it's complete D: my story is not complete since I'm still obviously writing it. Oops. Just wanted to tell you guys.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride or any of its characters. I do, however, own the background whitecoats and main characters (Krys, Aki, Zero)

* * *

Weeks passed without incident. I nearly went mad with boredom as I laid, sedated, in that crisp white bed. It was super uncomfortable, too. They decided to restrain me with leather straps tied around my wrists and ankles. I can't tell you how much they chafe. During my, uh, episode, I must have messed up my broken arm, so I spent more time in the infirmary than was intended. And, surprise surprise, I never had one visitor. 'Cept of course my doctors, but they don't really count. The only thing I enjoyed out of this was that they weren't testing anything on me... that I knew of.

As time passed, and with the help of being bored out of my mind every waking moment, I taught myself to shut out my feelings. I could feel nothing. I didn't want to. It hurt too much; even to consider enduring what happened that night. I wanted to make sure it never happened again. When the whitecoats came in to ask questions, mostly about my health, I answered them all monotonously. Mostly one word replies. I could tell they didn't care. I was just another test subject after all. When they left, I stared up at the ceiling, trying not to remember the painful past. My mind pretty much shut down.

Now, just after another question session, I lay flat on my back, absently tugging on my restraints, the incessant beeping of the heart monitor fading away as a faint white noise. My eyes closed; the paleness on my eyelids from the light above began to fascinate me for some reason. I felt totally relaxed. Then, the door to my room slammed open. I can never have a moment alone, can I? Slowly, I opened my eyes and tilted my head to the side so I could see what unholy mess strode in so rudely. Shock, followed by surprise, ran through me. It was dear old Ugly. I haven't seen that creep in months. A tingly hotness started up in my blood. He walked calmly to my bed and picked up the clipboard at the end. They seem to just love their clipboards. My head ached and my ears burned. Without glancing up, the whitecoat scribbled some sciencey nonsense down and set the board back on the end of my bed. I tensed, curling my fingers into fists. What did he want? Didn't he already do enough to me?

Alan ran his hands through his hair- now shorter, it appeared- before finally turning his black eyes on me. They seemed... different. I couldn't tell how, but I couldn't care less. This freak ruined my life, even more than this stupid place ever did. And I could never, ever forgive him for that.

He sighed almost unhappily. "S-so, um..." he stuttered. "I heard, uh, that y-you...you're doing better?"

Why was he sounding so nervous? I raised an eyebrow, turning my head away from him to stare at the ceiling. Was it getting hot in here? A lab coat rustled beside me, accompanied by the scrape of a chair. Oh great. He's gonna sit there and stutter like an idiot all day if I don't do something.

Alan licked his lips and said, "Listen. Um, I-I..." He hesitated. I rolled my eyes. The moron continued, "S-something happened. My boss, uh, found out what happened. And really wasn't... happy about it."

Really? You don't say?

"The Boss... um, wants to terminate this project." I froze. That doesn't sound good. "It wasn't exactly the incident that did it. B-boss always wanted to end this branch of the Institute anyways. Too small, not enough resources f-for proper funding," he stammered. I could practically feel him twiddling his thumbs by now. "It's not gonna happen soon, maybe a couple years or so, but it will happen. And you're going to be the first to go."

My body felt hot; something was wrong. It built until I thought I would explode. I grit my teeth. "Why would you care?" I whispered bitterly.

He jumped with bewilderment. Probably wasn't expecting the unemotional vegetable to reply. The whitecoat swallowed. Distress edged his voice as he shrugged. "Uh, I guess a change of h-heart?" he tried weakly.

I snorted. "'Change of heart'?" I repeated harshly. "In order to do that, freak, you need a heart to start with." Turning my head, I fixed him with a deadly glare. "And you don't."

His ugly head hung dejectedly. Good. He put his head in his hands and his shoulders sagged. Was he crying? I tightened my fists, my nails digging into my palms. What right did he have to be so upset? His whole world, the only one he could love and trust, wasn't taken away from him in a single tragic moment. He wasn't tied down to a hospital bed, constantly drugged and suffering mentally. He didn't have to live with the memory of his brother dying to rescue him from this half-life of poking, prodding and testing.

My vision darkened slightly. "You freaking monster," I said slowly. "What could possibly despair you so much? You harass me, threaten me, hurt me, perform sick tests on me, bring those stupid hairy dogs to 'rattle my cage,' and, worst of all," my voice rose to a shriek, "YOU MURDER MY BROTHER!" All of the emotions I bottled up for so long came spilling over as I screamed at him. It felt so good. Tears stung my eyes, but I focused on the trembling monster before me. "And you have the gall to waltz up and talk to me like we're friends?! You sadistic FREAK!"

I was upright and yanking as hard as I could on the leather straps. Lucky for him these were the only things keeping me from launching at him with rage burning as hot as a thousand white suns. I think he could tell how much I wanted to kill him in my eyes, which were like chips of sky blue ice. Quickly, he shot to his feet, stumbling over his chair, and backed towards the door. Not fast enough. I screeched, "GET OUT!" Al was out the door before I finished. Exhausted, I flopped my head back on my hard pillow and blacked out.

* * *

Days went by, mostly in a blur. I felt numb and tired after that scene. And he never returned to my room, thankfully. I was afraid I would actually break out of my restraints and rampage wildly through this awful place if I saw his face again. Whitecoats came and went, none of them familiar, but they never spoke. They probably heard what happened and tried to keep their distance. Beautiful. Just the way I like it. A week or so after, I was allowed to return to my cage. They had been decreasing my dosage of painkillers, which I was happy they so kindly provided for me, so that I would be able to leave this boring room without an IV stuck in my arm. How nice.

Two women stepped into my room and removed the leather straps from around my ankles and wrists. I looked down at them. They were red and some skin was still peeling off. Ew. They let me sit up, but then took my arms and slid me off the bed. The two made sure I was secure in their hands and carefully led me out of the room.

As we ambled down the hall, I looked into the windows we passed; there were half-built robots, mutated children locked in more cages- why were they only experimenting on kids, animals and bots?- creepy lab equipment, and jars filled with a strange liquid and preserved... I don't even know what. But it sickened me. I averted my eyes quickly. Those poor kids. Some didn't even look human anymore. My eyes squeezed shut, a headache forming. Great. I tripped over my feet and began to fall. The whitecoats, however, jerked me back up, muttering something about birds being clumsy on land. Crazy chicks.

When we reached my new cage, they released my arms. I ducked inside, sitting down and leaning against the corner bar. One woman, long brown hair swishing as she turned, murmured in the other's ear and stomped away, clearly upset. Who spat on her white coat? The lady, thin glasses falling down the bridge of her nose, bent to lock the cage. Her stormy blue eyes darted from the lock, to me, and back. A small dark object dropped noiselessly to the floor just outside my cage. I glanced up at her, unsure if she saw it, but she merely pushed her glasses up, brushed a dirty blond lock of hair out of her face and walked out the door. That was weird.

I crawled over to the spot where the object fell. It was a leather pouch. I gasped. My leather pouch. Leaning on the bars, I grabbed the bag and cradled it against my chest. My stuff better be in here. I opened it and stared inside. Relief poured through me. The feather lay unharmed on top of the pendant, chain coiled neatly underneath. Just as I left it.

"Wow, she must really like you," a light voice emitted from behind me. I spun around, clutching my pouch protectively at my back. "Storm never gave me anything, even though I'm obviously her favorite," the figure grumbled.

I peered closer. Bright violet eyes, reflecting a thin sheen of yellow light, peeked curiously out from short fiery orange hair, buzzed cleanly at the sides. My eyes widened as he twitched two black cat ears atop his head, a dark tail curled around his crossed legs. He seemed about my age, maybe a year older. A playful smile curled his lips.

"Hi. I'm Aki. Means autumn, my favorite season." He cocked his head when I didn't reply. "Shy?" Aki asked. I nodded. "Well, guess that works. I'm usually pretty quiet myself. I used to be near you a few months ago. Never got the courage to talk to you." He rubbed the back of his head, closing one eye and grinning widely. This kid was nuts. Suddenly, his expression changed. He frowned sadly, casting his eyes downward. "I, uh, saw what happened that day." I stiffened, tears threatening to unleash. "Sorry for mentioning it, but I wanted to pay my respects. He seemed like a cool guy," the cat boy shrugged. I can't take this. Immediately, I turned my back, sniffling, and drew my knees to my chest. A sigh blew from Aki. "You know, it's kinda cold here. Have you ever tried using your wings like a blanket?" he suggested.

For a quiet guy, as he claims, he sure talks a lot. But he did have a point. It was actually kind of brilliant. I silently unfurled my soft wings, dark indigo feathers tickling my sides as I folded them around my body. Huh. It was warm and comfy inside. Like a blanket. I guess he wasn't so nuts after all. The kid yawned, no doubt feline-like, and said, "Good night."

He probably curled up in a sideways ball. I wonder if his spine is flexible, too. Then I shook my head. Why think about him? I'm shutting out my feelings, remember? But no matter how hard I tried, my mind wandered to his strange violet eyes, slitted pupils standing out, gazing at me like a cute kitten. I fell asleep, nice and cozy inside my feathery blanket, drowning in the purple haze of my new neighbor and possible future friend Aki.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:**

Hola, chicos y chicas! Yo tengo uno sumbrero de queso :D lol idk. But here's my new chapter! As one of my readers pointed out, I had not mentioned how Zero obtained and concealed Krys's pendant. Well, all will be revealed here :U just read and enjoy. And maybe review, cuz it's super helpful to my writing if you ask questions.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride or any of its characters. I do, however, own the random characters you never heard of that appear throughout the story

* * *

Click.

I woke up with a start. Something was different. Curious, I glanced around. A small brown paper bag lay outside my cage. Huh. I rubbed my eyes, stretching as best I could in the cramped space I had, and folded my wings back inside my gown.

"Mornin', neighbor!" Aki called out cheerfully. "I see Storm came again. But, alas, she hasn't paid me a visit," he sighed.

I rolled my eyes. Wow, what a drama queen. Without looking at Cat Boy, I grasped the paper bag and peered inside. A tiny bottle of orange juice, still cold and wet, and a fresh bagel met my hungry eyes. My eyes widened. That chick from last night brought me real food? Unbelievable.

Aki shifted in his cage. "What is it? What did she get you?" I could hear his excitement.

Should I tell him? Do I trust him? I closed my eyes. Maybe not yet. But he seemed so innocent and... real. I guess this time I could at least pretend. Reaching inside the bag, I took out the bagel and orange juice.

"Whoa! Is that food?" he grabbed his cage bars, surprise lighting his weird eyes.

I nodded. For some reason, my hands tore the bagel in half and stuck one back in the bag, sliding it along the floor to Aki. And boy, did that get a reaction.

His jaw dropped open as the bag bumped into his cage. "Are you serious? I can have this?" He was practically bouncing with enthusiasm, his long white-tipped tail swishing across the bottom of the cage. "You're the best, man!" The kid grabbed the paper bag and tore into the bagel with surprising ferocity. He must not have eaten in a while.

As he ate, I picked at my bagel, dotted with black poppy seeds. I've heard these things are supposed to make you sleepy in high doses. I wonder how?

A loud belch distracted me. "That was awesome. Best thing I've tasted since I got here. But why did Storm give it to you?" Aki rambled.

Geez, this kid will not shut up unless he's napping or eating. Like a cat. Hmm. I shrugged, pulling off a piece of bread. It was light and airy, the rough off-white inside surrounded by a tough darker wall sprinkled with tiny black dots. I haven't seen one of these in years. My first bite was tentative, worried that it might be poisoned or something. But Aki seemed fine, so I continued chewing, more eager this time. Man, this was good. When I finished, I plucked the little plastic bottle from beside me, unscrewing the cap and staring at the bright liquid sloshing invitingly around. I sniffed it.

"If you won't drink it, I will," he said, eying the bottle with envy. That's it.

I took a quick swig. When I didn't suddenly burst into flames or keel over, I gulped it halfway down. Then, screwing the top back on I rolled it over to Aki. I will never know what made me give him half my real food that day.

His eyes shined happily as he bent over to grab the bottle. "Y-you," he sniffed, "are the best neighbor... I've ever had." I watched as he downed the rest of that delicious orange juice. Aki blubbered, "Th-thanks, man," and placed it in the bag, tossing it to the side.

Oh, brother. I wiped my mouth, savoring the fresh food taste. Why did that lady- Storm, as Aki called her- return my precious leather pouch to me and deliver real food? It confounded me. Weren't all whitecoats bent on dominating the human race with developing mutant genes better for survival? Storm seemed pretty nice, not evil at all. The way she looked at me last night, she seemed sad, full of regret. And something else. There was a seed of determination buried within the depths of her stormy blue eyes. Huh. Guess that's why Aki calls her Storm.

Speaking of Aki, the cat boy was pacing in circles, ears laid back and pupils slitted so small I could barely see them in the sea of violet. He was muttering something incoherently to himself. See? Nuts. Every once in a while, he would pause and flick his tail against the bars of his cage. His head cocked to the side, ears raised upright and straining. Then he would proceed to prowl around his cage with a shrug. Weird kid.

A creak sounded from the double doors. I whipped my head around to catch sight of a figure darting behind a tall cage and look around secretively. It reached behind itself and pulled out what appeared to be a slingshot. Tugging the rubber string back, a small round object flung from the weapon. Something shattered and the figure crept silently to our cages.

A white coat fluttered in front of me. Storm? The person crouched down to my level, dirty blond hair hanging loosely from a short ponytail. She pushed her glasses up. I tilted my head. What was she doing here? She obviously didn't want anyone to know she was speaking to me. Her eyes flashed nervously.

"I don't have much time, so I'm going to tell you something important, vital even." Her voice was musical and quiet, very pleasant to hear, but worry and fear pulsed from her. She took a deep breath. "I assume you know that this branch of the Institute is to be terminated?" I nodded. "It was never supposed to be," she whispered.

What? But didn't that freak tell me their "Boss" always wanted to cut this off? Confusion entered my mind. She must've seen it, because she got on her knees and began explaining.

"You and your brother were specially chosen from the very beginning, since you were born. Blake was chosen for his strength, which was strange for a child his age, and you for your intelligence. You have a great mind, capable of many things. We've noticed the language and memory centers of your mind show much more activity than the average adult. Your brother's muscles have always been well developed without the need of physical exercise and diet. His temper, however, was difficult to account for. Ever since you two were kidnapped for the Institute's research, I've monitored each of your progress. Your bodies had adapted excellently to the avian DNA, more so than our other test subjects, so we continued research. Blake's strength was tested constantly, and we created those games you played years ago to evaluate your mind, test the limits." Shame and grief crept in her eyes. "I was a fool to resume my work here. If I had left long ago, that terrible night would never have happened. It was my fault. I tried to keep your progressions a secret, but the others soon found out. My Boss wanted to harness your talents for 'the betterment of mankind'." She quoted bitterly, grasping the cold bars of my cage.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. This was a lot to take in.

Storm carried on, "Each night after your information was released, I visited your brother. We planned your escape, careful to talk only as you slept. It would be extremely dangerous if anyone heard us. The night before the incident, I knew that the Erasers and that idiot Alan were feeling edgy and wanted to relax a little, so we planned your escape that night. For luck, and for your birthday, I handed him that necklace you have to give to you." She smiled sadly. "It was my mother's. Her name was Katheryn Grace. She died a long time ago. I thought I should give you something special to endure the hardships you would face in the outside world. Unfortunately, the plan went awry."

My heart wrenched painfully as unwanted memories flowed forth. Sharp white teeth snapping, fur ripping, flesh tearing, an echoing scream of his name as he was taken away, swearing like a sailor. I closed my eyes.

Storm sighed. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that. We didn't account for Ari being there, or the way Alan seemed to fall into madness. He must have been obsessed with you and your powerful mind when he found out. He valued intelligence over brute strength, you see, so he never had an interest in Blake. Thankfully, the Erasers never knew of you or your brother's true potential. If they had..." she let the sentence hang, leaving my imagination to finish it. And what I imagined was not pretty.

Suddenly, the doors opened with a bang. Storm gasped fearfully, scurrying low to hide behind a huge wooden crate. Aki hissed at the intruders. It was weirder than I can describe. A tall man in an expensive-looking white suit strode in, bright red silk tie poking out over a crisp white shirt. His breast pocket was adorned with a fancy red silk handkerchief folded like a three pointed crown. Dang, he must be loaded. He slowly made his way over to the other side of the room, hands held behind his back like the villains in movies always do. He even had an evil black soul patch under his bottom lip and dark hair slicked back. Green eyes glared menacingly. Somehow he looked elegant yet malevolent at the same time. Impressive.

A short, bent-over technician hurried behind him, a metal toolbox gripped in his calloused hands. The dude dashed to the hidden camera and set his toolbox down. Apparently, Storm had shot the camera dead-on with her slingshot from across the room. It hung, glass lens shattered and useless. The technician got to work replacing the lens and fixing it.

As he worked, the rich guy strolled along like he had all the time in the world. He passed my cage, glancing briefly down at me before recommencing his walk. I shivered. His eyes, like green fire, bored into me with such intensity it scared me. When he reached the heavy curtain at the end he stopped. "I know yer there, dearie," he spoke quietly with a light voice and an accent. I think it sounded Scottish.

Storm gasped, ducking further behind the crate.

The man let out a breath. "There's no point in hiding. Why don't ya come out before something... unfortunate were to happen," he said, turning his gaze on me.

I shrank back. Why was everyone so interested in me? Nearby, Aki growled. His back arched and his ears were pinned back threateningly. "I thought I smelled a rat," he jeered.

The dude didn't reply. I heard a muffled gasp, and two guys also wearing suits, though much less expensive, dragged Storm over to him. He switched his eyes to her. "I heard you've been keepin' secrets, dearie." He clicked his tongue with disapproval. "Not a good choice if you value yer safety."

Storm struggled, not saying anything. Good for her. I could tell she was scared out of her mind, but she held strong.

He took a step closer to her. "Now, I want what belongs to me. You've kept it safe for this long, but it's time to return it," the man demanded almost casually.

Defiance darkened Storms eyes as she replied, "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."

His hand shot out and grasped her jaw. "Oh, I think ya do, dearie. You see, you've already lost one from my... collection. And I'd like the other in my custody before another accident occurs," he growled, clenching his hand harder. Storm whimpered.

I had a pretty good idea of what he was asking. Again, why does everyone go after me? It sucks. And who was this guy? It's about time I got some answers. "Hey, man. Let her go," I grunted bravely.

He swiveled his head to me. "And why should I do that, dearie?" His eyes traveled to beside me, right where my leather pouch was. Guess I forgot to hide it again. "You understand that when you've lost something precious," he hesitated, drawing out the word, "you fight to get it back?"

I pulled my pouch behind my back. How did he know about it? "Who are you?" I asked.

"Doesn't matter now," he waved it off. "What does matter, is that I get my property back."

Storm snarled, "They're not property, and certainly not yours." She is one tough chick. "I won't let you take her, Boss," she sneered at his title, spitting at him. I really like her.

But the Boss obviously did not. Dismay showed on his face as he took his silk handkerchief and dabbed at his face. He let go of her jaw, nodding to the men holding her. "Fine. Have it your way," he gestured to shoo them away.

"Wait!" I shouted, crawling to the front of my cage. I can't let something happen to her. Not when I finally decided to trust her. My confidence dwindled under the fiery green gaze of the Bossman, but I continued. I took a breath. "I'll go."

He paced up to my cage, faint curiosity blooming in him. "Now why, dearie, would you do that?" he challenged.

I gulped. "Because the only thing I loved is gone and I have nothing else." Man, I hope that didn't sound lame.

But something changed in the way he stared. He totally bought it. "All right. I'll be back in three days. I expect you to be ready by then," he grinned. Storm was released by a motion from Boss and the three traveled down the hall and out the door. That was fast.

Storm rubbed her jaw and ran up to me. "Why did you say that! The only reason I've stayed here was to protect you from guys like Raibert!" So that was his name. It sounded evil.

"Well, I wasn't going to sit there while his goons did the same thing that happened to my brother with you. I can't endure that again, I just can't!" I nearly sobbed. Great.

Her eyes softened. "I'm so sorry about Blake, but that man cannot get his hands on you. He will use you as a weapon, and he will not be gentle on finding out the true limits to your power," she warned.

"I know, I know. But I couldn't let him take you away." She put her hand to her mouth. "I just found out the truth about me and Zero, and that creep is already here to claim his property. This is all moving too fast, I don't know what to do..."

Aki cried, "Don't leave me, man. I'll never find another neighbor as awesome as you." His lower lip trembled and his dark ears drooped. Aww, why is he so dang cute?

I sighed. "I'm sorry, Aki. I just can't risk losing any more people that I care about. Which right now includes only you and her."

He perked up, his voice breaking as he whispered, "You finally talk to me and you care about me? And then you leave?" he broke off.

Wincing, I looked him in the eye. "Yeah, sorry." I hate disappointing people. You know, only the ones I like. But it hurts.

"It's ok, I guess. You're just trying to save us, right?" the cat boy chirped, brightening.

He's so weird. "Yeah," I replied with a smile.

"Then I'll be okay. Just be brave for me, and don't go easy on old Rai," he winked.

I laughed. "Alright, I will, Aki. But only for you, cat boy."

Storm remained somber. "We need to prepare you for what you may encounter with him. He is not a kind man, and he's very dangerous."

I think I could tell. "Well, I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get there, won't I?" I muttered.

"For now, I'm going to have to escort you to one of the labs. The others aren't aware that the Boss is planning to take you away, so the testing must resume today," Storm announced. I groaned. But I have three days before some filthy rich Scottie comes and uses my brain for his own nefarious purposes! She looked at me with sympathy. "Sorry." Bending down, she unlocked my cage door and let it swing open. I crawled out, a scowl forming. "Oh, and I'll hide that if you want me to," Storm offered, pointing to my pouch. I nodded silently. "Um, ok." She grabbed it and dropped it in her labcoat pocket. Safe and sound, I guess.

Aki shook his head sadly. "Bye, Krys."

I froze. Only Zero called me Krys. "Aki, please don't take this the wrong way, but don't ever call me that again. It's kinda special to me," my voice strained.

He looked hurt, but dipped his head in agreement. "Of course. But what should I call you?"

"Krystal is my real name," I told him.

"Krystal's cool," he giggled. "Let's go with Krystal."

Storm took my arm, leading me out of the cage room and into a testing room. It passed by almost boringly, with simple mind games growing harder with each level, but with my new knowledge of what I could do, I blew right through it easily. They moved me into the room where they inject some bright goo into my arm and take notes, but I barely felt it. I was too freaked out and excited. After that, I was allowed some food- it surprised me that it was only a little after noon- and was returned to my cage. Aki wasn't there. He must be out with some other whitecoats. I was tired from my strange morning, so I took a nap. I stretched out my wings, careful of the bars, and wrapped them snug around my bare arms, curling up in the center. The warmth and comfort soon lulled me into the darkness of sleep.

* * *

**Note:** I want to thank my awesome dad for editing this a little (checking paragraphs, spelling, etc), even though he complains about how dark it is o3o and I want to thank The Winged Nyan for their helpful review. Also, THANKS TO ALL MY READERS FOR LIKING MY STORY ;u;

Your buddy,

-WolfmoonWarrior28


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note:**

Hey, guys! Sorry this chapter took so long. I haven't been feeling too well lately and my mom just went back to the hospital D: and for some reason my creative juices just aren't flowing right recently. But here it is!

Krys: it's kinda short...

Me: well, soooorryyy, your winged highness. Just do the disclaimer and I'll give you your freedom next chapter

Krys: *sigh* she does not own Maximum Ride or any of its characters. She does own me, my bro, Aki, various whitecoats, Rai, etc. Now gimme freedom!

Me: next chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Three days. All I had was three days until mister Evil MacScottsman took me away from this terrible place to a probably more horrific lab to perform sciencey tests on my apparently amazing brain. Do I have the craziest life or what? The day filthy rich Raibert (stupid name) Douglas paid a visit to this Institute, I also learned that a whitecoat named Grace, who my new friend Aki and I call Storm, has been watching over me and my late brother Zero for years. She knew of our "special talents" and tried to keep our true potential from guys like Rai. Cuz they might just barge right in and take us away for their own malevolent purposes of possible world domination. Isn't that crazy? Today is the official first of the three days I have, so I'm gonna try to make the most of it.

Back in my lovely cage, I chatted with Aki. "Hey, Cat Boy. How'd you end up here anyway?" I'm not the most subtle person, as you could probably tell.

Aki scratched the back of a black ear with his hand. "I've actually been here all my life. Well, all that I can remember. I was told I had real parents, but the Institute kidnapped me as a baby. Never knew them," he shrugged.

"That's terrible!" I protested. "It's not exactly a 'no big deal' thing."

His head cocked to one side. "Sorta is for me." Cat-like bright violet eyes narrowed in thought. "I guess it's different for you, since you were, like, nine when you were stolen. You guys knew your parents pretty well."

"Yeah, I guess," I muttered. Poor dude. All he ever knew was whitecoats, antiseptic and cages. Then a thought entered my mind. I said aloud, "What about these other experiments? Like, how did they get chosen, and how many are kids like us?"

Aki twitched his tail in surprise, replying with a simple "Dunno."

I looked around. There were tons of cages, but not all contained something. The closest one to me held a small furry thing, about the size of a raccoon. It was pale gray with darker socks and streak on back. Was it a cat? I leaned closer, squinting. The animal glanced up. "Whoa!" I backed up.

"Meow," it purred rustily.

"What is it?" Aki shouted.

"Um, it's... a c-cat. With, like, three eyes," I stammered.

Aki grinned with excitement. "Three eyes? Seriously? Cool!"

The cat stood up and rubbed against its small cage, rumbling with pleasure. "Mrrrow," it growled.

Weird. I gulped and looked to the next cage behind me. It sorta looked human-like. However, upon further investigation I could see shiny scales. I gasped. It was a girl maybe a few years older than me. She had pointy ears, a greenish sheen to her scaly skin, long pale hair, strange red eyes lined with black, and webbed fingers. She also looked miserable. I tried to get her attention. "Hey. How are you?" I called to her.

The girl shivered, turning her back on me. I could hear strangled sobs coming from her.

Oops. Maybe a different approach. Quietly, I pulled my wings out of my gown and spread them out with a whoosh. A dark purplish feather fell out and drifted lazily towards the girl's cage.

She sniffed and stared at the feather. Confusion was plain on her face, so she lifted her gaze to me. A startled gasp escaped her cracked lips. Her eyes were glued on my wings. "Y-you are bird?" Her voice sounded watery, and it seemed hard for her to talk.

I chuckled. "Well, part bird. I'm a mutant, raised for about 5 years in this place," I explained gently.

Her eyes darkened. "This place... death," she warbled.

I'm just not on my game today. "This is a bad place, but we are good, right? Just trapped."

"Tr..trapped..." she echoed. "Yes."

I nodded. "I am Krystal. My friend behind me with the cat accessories is Aki. We were taken from our families."

Her head bobbed. "I am Skylar, but Sky is good," she reported. "My eyes were blue as sky once. Named for eyes."

"I like Sky," I smiled.

Then Sky clenched her slimy fist, growling, "But my sister, we were taken from father two years ago. We were happy in home, but then father was beaten trying to save us and Cassia was taken first. My baby sister..." she started wheezing.

Crap. I murmured to Sky, "Careful now. It's okay. Don't worry."

She sniffled and reached for my feather. "Cassia love birds... like you, with pretty dark wings," she mumbled. Sky's voice sounded more warped when she cried, making it hard to understand her.

"You can keep the feather, Sky, if you want. Um, wh-what's Cassia like?" I asked, trying to keep her attention.

"She's very pretty, with wavy cinnamon-dust hair and gold eyes. Her eyes strange, like mine, and yours, and friend," she described, pointing to me and Aki. "Cass also smart and gifted with music," Sky sighed. "Sister could play anything, make it beautiful."

She sounded so wistful and sad, missing her old life. My gut twisted with something strong. I realized it was anger and a little bit of purpose. I was raging a new battle with the freaks who took us, thanks to Sky. And I had a new drive: to free these kids and try to reunite them with their families. The feeling grew in my belly with a fierce hotness until I felt my insides would melt. I will bust them out. I will save them. They deserve better. They need their families. So what if I get hurt? I've already suffered enough. What matters now is that I get these guys help, no matter what.

"Krystal?" A voice snapped me out of thoughts. Aki peered out at me with concern. "You okay, man?"

I shook my head. "Uh, yeah. Totally."

I could tell he didn't believe me, but it didn't matter. He'll soon find out anyway. I turned to Sky again. "Where do you think they took Cassia?" I quietly inquired.

She shrugged. "Don't know. Cass travel in separate van, possibly to other evil place."

That doesn't help much. Hmm. "Have you ever tried to call for her in here?"

Skylar tilted her head. "Did not think of that. These men, they scramble mind with their machines and poisons. I soon cannot think right. Only hear cries for water. But I try," she squeezed her eyes shut. Taking a deep breath in, she shrieked an unearthly sound that nearly burst my eardrums. I covered my ears tightly. "CASSSSSSSSIIIAAAAA!" she screeched. "SIIISSSSTER!"

Nothing. Seconds passed, though no noise answered her call. I dropped my head in my hands. Oh no...

Then, very faintly, a young shrill howl sounded far to the other side of the room. "Skysis!"

Sky's head shot up, instantly alert. "Cass? Where are you?" she cried out.

"I'm here. Big sis, I thought I'd never find you!" the girl wept. Cassia did seem musical with a strong, high voice that was quite beautiful to hear.

Now I have to save them. I motioned to Aki, "I need to talk to you."

He blinked. "What about?"

Rolling my eyes, I beckoned him closer. "Scoot your cage over, fur brain!" I whispered harshly. When he was near enough, I told him what I intended to do and why. His eyes grew wider every second I spoke, but what surprised me was that they contained enthusiasm rather than shock or anger. And that's why I rather like him.

"Really? Awesome! So when do we break out?" Aki rambled innocently.

"Shh!" I hissed. "We don't want the whitecoats to find out. Keep it down."

He winked, "Oooh, gotcha." How did this kid stay so cheery all the time? He's a real mystery.

I began, "Well-"

"What's this I hear about breaking out?" a gruff voice barked from beside Aki.

What was that? Aki spun around, arching his spine, fur standing on end. He froze mid-hiss. "Um, Krystal? You know how there's a three-eyed cat here?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What about it?"

"Well, there's a talking rag."

The fuzzy thing piped up, "Who you calling a rag? I'm a proud Scottie with an impressive lineage. I'm also a lover of the arts, mainly culinary, and can speak several different languages, including French."

I am thoroughly confused. "Scottie...as in dog? Like, from the Wizard of Oz?" I put a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing, and I could hear Aki stifling some chuckles.

He scoffed. "As if. That scruffy mutt couldn't hold a paw to my magnificent genius," the dog boomed dramatically, then sighed sadly. "But alas, my talents are unknown here."

"So, um, what's your name, genius?" I stammered, trying to hold my amusement in.

"Humph. I'm Total, virtuoso extraordinaire," he grunted.

Aki mouthed, smiling widely, "That's super close to Toto."

My eyes started to water. This dog was hilarious!

Total scratched the floor of his cage impatiently. "So who, might I ask, are you?" He smelled the air noisily. "One of you is a cat and the other a bird, as far as I can tell. And it appears that we may be an odd group, considering the long-lasting hatred between our families."

Is this mutt for real? "Well, I'm part bird. Like, with wings and stuff. But I'm mostly human. My name's Krystal," I replied.

He yipped, "Aaah, Krystal. A lovely name. Powerful background to it. What about you, my feline fiend- er, friend?" Total barked at Aki.

Aki rubbed his eye. "Aki," he muttered, twitching his tail.

The Scottie looked at him curiously with beady black eyes. "Japanese, am I correct? Translated into autumn. How did someone like you acquire a title like that?"

Glancing at his pale, delicately freckled arm he shrugged. "Gave it to myself. Sounded cool, I guess."

"Hmm," Total sniffed. He shook his shaggy black fur and yawned. "I'm tired now. Leave me to sleep, kids. Nice to meet you, dear Krystal and Aki."

I huffed. Pushy mutt. Soon, snoring filled the still air. An unpleasant sound coming from a tiny yapping dog like him.

The doors to the room creaked open. Oh yeah. Two more days of testing here. Placing my head on my knees, I groaned. Why can't I just get out of here? But as the whitecoat who entered walked over, she passed right by Sky's cage and onward. A gurgle of fear rose from the fish girl, though the lady didn't react. She halted at the heavy curtain that cut off the cage room from whatever was behind it. Her hand ran through frizzy red hair before she continued, throwing aside a flap of the barrier and hurrying inside. I could barely catch a glimpse of what lied beyond that mysterious curtain. A huge computer, with wires and electric cables scattered across the floor like colorful spaghetti. The room was relatively large, with mostly the computer taking up space. A few filing cabinets dotted the area, but not much. Then my window of sight was blocked by the curtain closing again, swishing a little from being disturbed. Why was there one giant computer separate from where the scientists test their monkeys?

So many weird things lately. Evil Scottish dude wanting to use my intellectual power, an actually cool whitecoat explaining my history, three-eyed cats, talking rags- er, dogs, fish girls... so much to take in. Well, I'm not gonna sit here and let the bad happen, especially to the kids who lost everything so these creeps could mess with our bodies. I'm going to tell them my plan. We're going to break out of here, soon. Before it's too late.

* * *

**After note:**

Again, sorry if it's short or seems like I'm not writing right D: just wanted to give you at least one chapter to keep you dudes busy while I start the next one. I'll try to make it much longer, I promise. It'll be a good one o3o be patient.

Your buddy,  
WolfmoonWarrior28


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note:**

Hey! How are you guys? Enjoying my story so far? Well, I only know that about 5 people actually like it because they said so themselves in reviews, favorited, or followed it. I really appreciate reviews, even if they only point out mistakes I've made 'cuz it really helps me as a writer.  
But no flames. Absolutely nobody wants to hear that they are horrible people just 'cuz you don't like one story they wrote. I will hunt flamers down and rip them apart 8U  
_ahem_. Sorry 'bout that. I may write another chapter or two after this one. Depends on _reviews_ (hint hint). And if I pull more ideas out of my brain. But enjoy this one! Thanks for reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride or any of its characters (Ari, Total, Max and the Flock, etc.). I do own the main characters (Krys, Aki, Rai, etc.) and some whitecoat designs (Storm, Ugly Al, etc.)

* * *

Ugh. So tired. I've stayed up all night trying to come up with a plan, but for some mind-boggling reason, I couldn't focus. There was just this unpleasant empty pit feeling in my stomach. Memories of that night visited me as well. I would slip into them, floating as a disembodied spirit or something and watching from afar. More details revealed themselves to me without the abused broken arm blinding my vision.

Zero exploded out of his cage, grabbing a metal bar and taking a few deadly swings at the ticked-off Erasers around him. None of them could even touch him with the speed and ferocity he used. The whitecoats scattered in fear, but he nailed a few of them as well. I could also see myself, trembling in pain and fear. Wow, I was kinda pathetic. But the strength in which my dear brother used to practically rip apart the enemy astounded me. It was amazing to see.

Then I was thrust into another, deeper memory. The smell of warm sunshine flowing down from a crystal blue sky, bright sun peeking out from fluffy white cotton clouds gently scudding across the beautiful expanse above. My dog, a golden Shiba Inu mix, barking at a shiny butterfly fluttering lazily in the breeze. A woman shouting for us to come inside for lunch. Mom. Her long dark blonde hair framed her round face, a few strands covering a pale blue eye. She flashed a warm smile.

"Daisy!" my high-pitched voice called. The puppy abandoned her prey and bounded towards me. My stubby hands reached out to grab hold of her soft fur. I guess this was my family when I was really little.

A young boy with shaggy dark hair grinned at me with a missing tooth, tousling my long hair. "C'mon, Krys! Don't wanna miss Mom's awesome sandwiches," he squeaked.

I giggled. I totally forgot his voice was so weird before puberty. Since I was so young at this time, I only gurgled in response. "Zeee-roh!" I clapped my chubby hands happily. My favorite number, because it was less than any real value, and to name a number that had no value confused me. So that was his name in my young opinion.

He cackled, picking me up and swinging me around. Daisy barreled into him, tail wagging fiercely, licking our faces as he landed on his back with me on top of his chest.

Mom shouted again, "Come on, kids! Hurry and say goodbye before your dad leaves for work."

Blake leapt to his feet. "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, grabbing my hand and leading me to our house, Daisy trotting after. I could just catch a glimpse of his black hair and dark suit as we burst through the back door to the kitchen, those funny wrinkles crinkling on the corner of his greenish-gray eyes.

A loud bang brought my mind out of my memory and to the present. Freaking dang it! A finally happy one and it gets interrupted. I sighed. My head hurt now. My wings unwrapped themselves from around me, cold air rushing in to take their place. I shivered. Once I looked up from my fascinating feathers, I saw a note laying in front of my cage. Curious, I snatched it and looked around, wary of anyone who was watching. I read:

"Dear Krystal Conners,

I'm sorry about your situation. Mr. Douglas was not supposed to pay a visit that day. It took me completely by surprise. Maybe Jeb Batchelder found out and reported it. He does seem to have an interest in avian-infused children, and he's been acting strange since his disappearance. Oh, and stay away from that man. He has direct influence to many high ranking Itex members, so if he knows where you are, you're in terrible danger. But I've heard what you plan to do and I must say I am impressed by your courage and good intentions. I'm not sure how you will pull it off, though. Not many have escaped the Institute, especially not with a group of your size. However, I believe in you and trust you will save them from a terrible fate here. Regrettably, I will not be around to help you much longer. I'm in danger. I know Raibert's men follow me, watching my every move. I took a huge risk with this note. Soon I will leave. Secretly, of course. They will never know. But in case I don't see you again, I must tell you this: you will meet your salvation from this place very soon. I can sense it. So I took the liberty of placing a small backpack with your special pouch, some essential provisions, a map, and some money inside just outside the exit to the Institute. It's behind a low holly bush, so be careful. I have also folded some clothes for you, Aki and a few others right beside it. It's not much, but it's all I am able to offer. Think of it as an apology for keeping this secret from you and your brother for so long.

Good luck,

Grace (Storm, as you kids call me)"

I set the note down. My head swam with questions, making me nauseous. Great. The only whitecoat to enter my life with a good heart and soul has to leave, probably forever. Just more people I lose once I get close to them. I quickly glanced around, crumbled the paper into a ball and stuffed it down my shirt for safe keeping. As far as I knew, they wouldn't check in there for any weird stuff.

In the cage beside me, I heard a watery snore. Sky murmured softly in her sleep, "Cass... dad, no... I will take care of her..." She started to get agitated, rolling around as the memory passed through her.

I stretched out one of my wings to comfort her. The warmth pulsing lightly from it seemed to calm her a little, and the tips barely skimmed her scaly skin. A smile gently curled her lips. Slowly, I pulled my wing back to my body, letting them hang loosely from my gown. She seemed okay now.

I turned my gaze over to Aki, sleeping soundly and purring quietly. Man, that boy is strange. He twitched, eyes screwing up in anger. "Stay away... n-no! K-Krystal!" My face reddened. He dreamed about me? Though it sounded more like a nightmare. I soothingly reached out my wings again, tickling his nose a bit. He sneezed and slowly opened his eyes. Whoops. "What's up?" he murmured sleepily.

I shook my head. "You, uh, were having a nightmare by the sound of it," I replied. "Tried to, like, comfort you, but woke you up instead. Sorry."

Aki rubbed an eye, mumbling, "S'all right, bro. Thanks. It really was a nightmare." With a flick of his cat tail, he curled up and was soon asleep.

I scratched my head, looking around. What do I do now?

Suddenly, muffled voices rose from somewhere in front of me. What was that? I straightened up, nervously pulling my wings in tight. The voices rose with excitement. They sounded young. Seriously, what's going on? A ripple passed through the heavy curtain as a small hand pulled it to the side. Big blue eyes stared out with shock. Was that a kid? But it ducked back as quickly as it showed up and a shout came from the other side. What followed after was nearly a blur. Six kids, appearing from ages 6 to 14 or 15, appeared, approaching the cages cautiously. Disgust and sadness entered their eyes as they surveyed the mutations before them. The youngest, a blond girl with similar blue eyes as the boy before, clung to the oldest, a tall girl with dirty blond hair lightly sun-streaked. Who were these kids? How did they get here?

From the shadows crept a dark boy, around the same age as the tall one. I gasped. He looked a lot like Zero. His hair was much longer, though, and his muscles weren't as defined as my brother's. But it was enough to make my heart skip a beat. He whispered, "This is pathetic," while he stared into a cage farther away from me.

The little blond girl stepped warily over to Total's cage, missing me by a heartbeat. He twitched his legs, looking like he was chasing a French lady with some crepes or something. "Hi, doggie," she said quietly. "You look like Toto from _The Wizard of Oz_." I swore that dog growled at her in his sleep.

One with chocolate skin and pretty hair stood stiffly near where Cassia had shouted. The tall chick and the dark dude walked over to her and I heard a sad sigh. More whispers. Dang it. Noises arose, weird ones that I'd never heard since I was here. They sounded animal-like and a little strangled. The clang of metal was strangest. What were they doing? I gripped the bars of my cage, leaning out to see where they were.

The girl who seemed to be the leader ran up to me, a contagious energy emanating from her, and examined me. She then bent over and unlocked my door. Whaaaat?

"Who are you?" I asked. "Why are you doing this?"

Her next words would stay with me for the rest of my life. "Kids don't belong in cages," she whispered kindly. Louder, she called, "Okay, everybody. Let's blow this joint."

I quickly scrambled out of the cramped space. I was free? Storm was right. If only she could see us... I shook my head. Not now. Looking around, I spotted Aki speaking gently to Sky, patting her hand and gesturing to the curtain. I jogged over. "Aki! Can you believe this?" Excitement laced my voice.

His eyes widened, mouth agape. "I know! We're finally free, and by some random kids!"

Sky huffed under her breath. "I need find Cass, bird girl," she moaned. "Please!" Her head started to whip around frantically.

I put my hand comfortingly on her scaly shoulder. "I know. We will find her."

She suddenly shrieked, "Cass!"

A very young girl, about ten years old, turned her head in shock, cinnamon brown hair curling around her delicate face. Gold eyes widened. "Sky!" The sisters rushed to each other's embrace gleefully, and with a jolt, I realized soft, grayish dove-like wings tipped with white hung behind Cassia's back. No! She had bird DNA, too?

The dark-skinned girl from earlier shouted above the startled din of the mutants, "This way! Don't be afraid."

A guy with strawberry blond hair and bright blue eyes staring at nothing growled, "I hear voices. Be _very_ afraid." Was he blind?

The leader snapped, glaring at him, "Let's move it!" Turning towards her group, she shouted, "Nudge! Fang! Angel! Out, out, out!"

We started to run, or more like amble, through the curtain and into the computer room. A single computer lit the room with its bright glare. My feet sank slightly in the lush carpeting- yes, _carpets_. The door on the other side hung open invitingly.

The leader continued to the front of the group. "Up the stairs!" Before she made it four steps up, a little mutant halted and curled up, whimpering, on the floor. I could see the panic in her brown eyes while she snatched him and kept climbing the stairs.

Running was no easy task for us. You know, since we were stuck inside cages for most, if not all, of our lives? We made it, however, to the top in one piece. I tried not to heave my lunch on these nice kids. The guy with long dark features shoved open the door at the top, leaping out into a gross, hot air. Eww.

Sky and Cassia stumbled up from behind, the older sister panting deeply. I took her wrist and joined Aki beside the leader. "Where are we?" Cass breathed.

Glancing behind her, the tall chick said, "Sewer system, under a big city. On our way out to fresh air and sunlight."

A deep voice growled, "But not just _yet_." I knew that voice. Oh crap. "First we need to chat, Maximum. You and I. For old times' sake."

Ari.

I stretched my eyes wide in fear. The stupid Eraser who personally killed my brother, along with a few furry friends. The girl, Maximum (I'll just call her Max), saw my reaction. I could tell she was questioning if we met before. It was pretty obvious on her face. She slowly handed me the shivering mutant and faced Ari. I looked down at him as they chatted, most likely with hostility. He looked about 7 and had rough skin, slightly brownish, spidery bright green veins pulsing beneath. The boy peered up with matching bright green eyes from dark brown hair, lightly streaked through with blond. Was he some sort of plant mutant? He made a squeaky sound from his throat. He was actually kinda adorable.

A hand shot out and grabbed my arm. "Come on!" the girl with dark skin hissed. I saw that most of the kids were already shuffling through the sewer. Aki, Sky and Cassia waved me over anxiously. Whoops. She pulled me with surprising strength over to my friends. When we were a safe distance from the happy couple, she started babbling. "Hi. Who are you guys? I'm Nudge, by the way. How long were you mutants? We've been experimented all our lives. Except we were in the School in California. I hated it there, so that's why we're freeing you guys. We're like you! See?"

Geez. Then, long beautiful tawny wings flashed from behind her. These kids were like me? I need to pinch myself. A cute grin was plastered onto her motor-mouth.

I gave her a half smile. "Hey, Nudge. I'm Krystal," I began.

Nudge squealed. "I love that name! It's sooooo pretty. How do you spell it?"

Bewilderment caught my voice. "Uhh, K-r-y-s-t-a-l?"

With a spin, she grinned wider. "Ooh! Love it! Mind if I use it sometime?"

She's like a demon hopped up on caffeine, that one. "S-sure," I stammered.

Aki rescued me from speaking to her more. "Who are you guys? And are you all... birds?"

Nudge nodded. "Max, Fang, Iggy, me, Gasman or Gazzy, and Angel," she pointed to each one named. "Careful of Gazzy. He's got his name for a reason."

Huh. Angel, the little blond one, and Fang hurried back to us. "What's the hold up?" Fang grunted. I could sense his discomfort around the crowd of strangers.

Angel looked at me curiously, her head tilted a little to the side. She clutched a grubby bear and, to my utter astonishment, Total. The dog's eyes gleamed with embarrassment. Ha. She smiled an innocent smile that really creeped me out. I cocked my head at her, and we synchronized analyzing stares. There was something off about this kid. Her eyes held more than a cute six year old's should. "Do you wanna come with us?" she asked. "We can find a safe place for you and your friends."

Fang shot a harsh look at her, silent words being exchanged by them. Creepy.

I shook my head. "Sorry, but we can't. We have our own mission outside of here, and we don't want to be burdens," I explained.

The dude narrowed his eyes. "You aren't exactly used to life outside this hole. Are you sure?" he spoke in brief, clipped words.

"Yeah. We can manage," I said firmly, staring right back into his dark eyes. I thought about Zero, and what I needed to do once I was outside. Storm's note was still tucked in my gown's front, poking uncomfortably at my skin. Its contents pricked my memories for a short time.

Angel nodded. "I understand." Her voice was low, her eyes boring deeply into my head. Freaky kid. "But we should get going. The fight is escalating."

Furious yells and thuds sounded from where Max and Ari were fighting. I tried to ignore it. If she lasted this long against him, she's, like, my hero. She shouted at Fang, "_Get them out of here!_"

Fang, reacting swiftly, ushering the last of us, excluding the others in his group, down to the end of the tunnel just as a sickening _crack_ echoed around us. Silence fell. It was over. But who won? The two left spoke in raw, hushed voices, and relief poured through me when Max's tough voice returned to my ears. Ari was gone. Not my rescuers.

Footsteps pounded on stairs above us, angry shouts matching rhythm. Max ran towards us and snapped out hawk-like brown wings streaked with creamish white and gently speckled, screeching, "_Fly!_" The group of six kids, one by one, extended their beautiful wings and sped down the tunnel.

Aki growled. "We'll never make it. Not with these guys," he gestured at Sky, Cassia and the boy I held in my arms.

I snarled, "Oh, yes we will." I wasn't going to let our only chance to escape from this prison end because of a minor mobility issue. "Aki, can you run fast?" He nodded, confusion in his violet eyes. "Then you go ahead. Cassia, are you able to hold this kid, at least for a little while?" She gritted her teeth, determination on her round face, and grabbed him, her gray wings stretched out. I took Sky's arms. "Aki, go!"

With a throaty yowl, he dashed forward on all fours, tail constantly whipping around for balance. He was almost caught up with the bird kids in seconds. Dang.

Cassia flapped her wings strongly, gusts flowing from the down strokes. She needs more air down here. I breathed deeply, trying not to smell the sewer stink, and pushed off of the floor. My wings moved powerfully, creating the draft she needed to fly. Making sure I had a good grip on Sky, we flew forward. It felt wonderful. The smooth rhythm of the up- and down strokes, warm air boosting us, my hair whirling around my face. Pure bliss. I'm actually surprised my wings were this strong after years of disuse. I only flew once, so the whitecoats could test that they could carry my weight. They had, of course, so I was moved on to non-physical stuff. The girl's breath puffed behind me, slightly tired. Crap. We were almost to Angel now, bursting out of the sewer with a gasp. Rain pattered down from dark, roiling clouds. Blinding lights greeted us, along with noisy honks, glaring metal, and distant sirens. Where are we? I glided down, stumbling with a bad landing, Cassia kneeling in the slippery grass and panting. Need to work on that.

Like a ghost, Angel lighted beside me with a giggle, saying, "We're in New York. Big city. But fun!"

I let go of Sky, who plopped down next to her sister, still clutching the little boy protectively. She stroked her wings, murmuring softly.

Oh wait! The backpack! But the creepy little blond was already crouching behind the holly bush, pulling out an awesome black backpack and a trash bag full of clothes. "Looking for these?" she winked, putting a finger to her mouth.

Slightly fuming, I snatched them from her, rummaging in the backpack. Where was it? My hand brushed against cool leather. There! I yanked it out and cradled it against my chest.

Angel whispered, "That's from your brother, right? I'm sorry."

My head jerked up. How did this little demon know that? Her angelic beaming face didn't fool me, though. I can sense evil, and she's got it. Her expression fell a little, like she could hear what I was thinking. Maybe she did. I mean, look at me and Zero. Not your average bird kids here.

Max burst out of the exit, an unhappy look on her face. What happened in there? She flew straight for Fang and Nudge, Angel, plucking Total and her grubby bear from the ground, skipping after.

Hastily, gathered my friends around me. I peeked in the garbage bag. The first thing I saw was a black T-shirt, some ragged dark blue jeans splattered with red paint, a long leather belt, and some black hiking boots. Oh, so mine. I put them next to me and continued my search. A tiny flowery lavender dress with a white ribbon and sandals. Cassia claimed it. A white muscle shirt, baggy camo cargo pants, and an olive army cap and boots. Aki instantly fell in love with army green. A designer jacket, a few skirts, a tiny shirt and overalls, tank tops, shoes, and a pair of pale jeans were left in the bag. I grasped the overall outfit for the kid, who I decided to call Terra (since he won't talk yet), and Sky wanted the jeans, jacket, rosy converse, and a pink tank top. Cool. We all had something else to wear other than these stupid gowns. Each of us took turns dressing behind the big holly bush and huddled under a nearby oak tree from the rain. And I had to say, we all looked fabulous. But more teary stuff later. Now we needed a plan.

Aki stuck his hands deep in the cargo pants' pockets and asked, "What now, man?"

I hugged them close. My eyes watered a bit as I turned my gaze on each of the people I met and soon came to love in a few measly days. "Now," I whispered, "we find our families."


End file.
